BCIT GIS Industry Sponsor Practicum or Project
The BCIT GIS Practicum or Project offers a valuable opportunity for sponsors to play a role in GIS technology education while benefiting from the student’s knowledge and skills.
There is no cost to the sponsor for a GIS Practicum or Project. Liability for students will be covered under the Institutes Coverage For Students On Approved Industry Project Practicums.
The Practica Sponsor Guidelines PDF document provides information on the process to develop a practicum, and advertise for applicants. It includes a schedule, student skill sets, and the required elements of a practicum.
The Project Sponsor Guidelines PDF document provides information on the process to develop a project, and advertise for applicants. It includes a schedule, student skill sets, and the required elements of a project.
Project VS. Practicum Overview
A project is a unit of work defined in a Project Plan. Usually, the work is carried out independently by the student. The Project sponsor will approve the project definition as contained in the Project Plan, will be advised of the Project status on an ongoing basis and will review the completed project. BCIT faculty provides technical direction and project supervision.
A practicum is suitable for a sponsor who has technical expertise and time sufficient to provide detailed work supervision for the work undertaken by the student. The practicum uses an employer/employee mentor relationship for a paradigm.
A project is suitable for a sponsor who is lacking the technical expertise or time sufficient to provide detailed work supervision for the work undertaken by the student. The project uses a consultant/client on a fixed price/service contract for a paradigm.
Both models can be flexibly defined to achieve an optimal solution for the three stakeholders: BCIT faculty, student and sponsor.
The following table highlights some differences:
| Project | Practicum | |
| Location | BCIT Campus | Sponsor Workplace |
| Type of work | Student and Sponsor define project scope; student executes with faculty support | Sponsor directs technical tasks |
| Supervision | Sponsor is consulted on project scope, advised on project status and reviews project upon completion. Faculty supervises technical work. |
Sponsor. Faculty approves scope of work. |
| Format | Gradual | Gradual or Block |
| Time Frame | January-May | January-May (gradual) April-June (block) |
| # of Hours | Approx. 360 | Approx. 360 |
| Control | Mostly Independent | Varies |
| Schedule | Flexible; Friday meetings | F/TH-F/M-F (Gradual) M-F, 9-5 (block) |
| Financial Assistance | No effect if on campus, Check with Student Loans for after April |
Check with Student Loans for after April |
| Graduation | June | June (Gradual) February (Block) |
For Further Information…
Contact
Mike Hill
Program Head, Geographic Information Systems
British Columbia Institute of Technology
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby BC Canada V5G 3H2
Room SW3-2090 Tel: 604-432-8737
e-mail: Mike_Hill@bcit.ca
URL: www.bcit.ca/gis